


A Welcome Distraction

by books4belle



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, Femslash, First Kiss, First Meetings, Sparring, and dogs, everythings better with dogs, initial dislike
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 21:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1957467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/books4belle/pseuds/books4belle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reyna agrees to give Jason's sister a tour of Camp Jupiter. If she'd known what an irritating pain Thalia was, she might not have said yes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Welcome Distraction

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Alternate PJO Ship Weeks on Tumblr. bacchusgarden prompted:
> 
> “You want me to do what?”

“You want me to do what?”

“Please, Reyna? It’d only be for a couple of hours.”

“Why do you want me to show her around? She’s your sister.” 

Reyna had been pleased to hear that Jason was coming to Camp Jupiter for a visit and intrigued when he said that his long-lost sister would be coming with him. She didn’t know much about Thalia, but from the few times Jason had mentioned her, she could tell that he had a serious case of hero worship. Reyna had been looking forward to meeting the huntress, but that didn’t mean she wanted to play hostess to a girl she barely knew. 

“Annabeth sent me an Iris message this morning. She needs me to look up some information at the university library.” He sighed. “You know Annabeth. She’s one of those people who’s hard to say no to.”

If Reyna was going to make a list of people that were hard to say no to, Jason would be at the top. Resigned, she agreed to keep Thalia company until Jason was finished with his research. 

He squeezed her shoulder affectionately. “Thanks! I owe you one. I showed her around the city when we got in last night, but she hasn’t seen the camp yet. I’ll go see if she’s ready.” He trotted back along the Via Praetoria as Reyna sighed. Hanging out with Jason’s sister couldn’t be that bad, she guessed.

~~

As it turned out, she’d guessed wrong. Reyna couldn’t believe that this moody, arrogant girl was related to Jason. They couldn’t be more different. She had no manners and greeted everything Reyna said with hostility or sullen silence. 

“So how do you like being a Hunter?” Reyna asked conversationally. 

Thalia shrugged. “It’s not bad. I’m pretty good at killing things and I get to boss people around, so it’s okay, I guess.”

‘What do you even say to something like that?’ Reyna thought. She tried again, seeking some common ground. “My sister’s in a group that’s kind of like the Hunters.”

“And what group is that?” Thalia asked with derision.

“The Amazons. Hylla’s their current queen.” Reyna’s tone was casual, but she realized she was probably trying to show off a little in front of this intimidating stranger.

Thalia actually snorted. “Amazons and Hunters are nothing alike.”

“No?” Reyna fought the impulse to respond defensively.

“For one thing, Hunters actually hunt and fight monsters instead of selling gadgets to people over the internet. For another, our vows to keep us from being… distracted from our work. Plus, I’m pretty sure that joining the Amazons doesn’t rate immortality.” Thalia waved a hand, indicating her indifference. “But, you know, not everyone’s cut out for the work and sacrifice required to be a Hunter. And I do like my Kindle, so I suppose they do serve some purpose.” Thalia strolled away toward the mess hall, leaving Reyna pale and nearly shaking with fury. 

Stalking down the path to catch up, Reyna glared at the figure in the black leather jacket. It didn’t help that Thalia was seriously beautiful. For all that she and Jason looked nothing alike at first glance, there were definite similarities. The same strong cheekbones and firm jaw. The same delicate brows and long, long lashes. And of course their eyes were sky blue, though Thalia’s were the color of winter twilight where Jason’s were more like summer afternoon. It was just a pity the lovely package didn’t really make up for all the attitude.

They finished touring the barracks, stables and baths in stony silence. Reyna was about to give up and dump the huntress back on Jason when Thalia asked “So where do you train?” 

Reyna had been deep in thought, not expecting Thalia to speak and she realized she hadn’t heard the question. 

When asked to repeat herself, Thalia spoke like she was explaining something to a small child. “I asked where you train. Like with weapons. I mean, I’m assuming you do fight considering this is an army camp.”

Reyna resisted the urge to roll her eyes and gestured to the area behind the baths. “Of course. Most of the training exercises take place on the Field of Mars. Would you like a tour of it as well.”

“I’d rather spar,” Thalia replied bluntly. “You up for it?”

“I’m not really dressed for combat.” It wasn’t that Reyna couldn’t fight in her crisp white blouse and tan slacks, but she would prefer not to. 

“I’ll wait.” There was a hint of a challenge behind her words. 

Reyna lead them across the road to her rooms in the Principia. She was distracted for a moment by a member of fourth cohort who was looking for Frank. As she sent the legionnaire on his way, she saw Thalia approaching her front gate. 

“Wait! Watch--” The warning was only part of the way out of her lips when Aurum and Argentum bounded around the corner and leapt at the intruder.

Reyna rushed over, calling to the dogs to get down. When she reached the yard, she found Thalia crouched on the path… and smiling. She was petting both dogs affectionately, scratching Argentum under the ear while Aurum licked her face. “You are just the most beautiful babies, aren’t you?” Thalia cooed.

At that moment, someone could have knocked Reyna over with a feather. Her dogs *never* reacted like this, especially with a total stranger. And the look on Thalia’s face was so genuinely delighted. Maybe she needed to reconsider her impression of the daughter of Zeus. Surely anyone who loved dogs was worth a second chance.

~~~

Reyna was sweating like a pig but she didn’t care in the slightest. In her role as praetor, paperwork and other duties often kept her from training with the legion as often as she would have liked. It felt like pure heaven to don a helmet and armor, weapon in hand. Plus, sparring with Thalia was a good workout. 

They were evenly matched, much to Reyna’s surprise. She was used to holding back while sparring - given the natural ability that came from being a daughter of Bellona - but she needed all her strength against Thalia. Reyna could say without arrogance that in terms of sword technique, she was the superior fighter. But the blessing of Artemis gave Thalia an advantage when it came to speed and agility. And going up against someone who trained at Camp Half-Blood was always an interesting challenge; the Grecian fighting style was so much harder for Reyna to predict. 

Best of five quickly became best of seven as neither girl seemed anxious to quit. Thalia gave as good as she got and it was only a lucky hit that knocked her off balance and gave Reyna the victory. 

“You’re pretty good,” Thalia commented as Reyna reached down to help her up. “For a Roman.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, Graecus. Some time while you’re here I need to have you show me that move you did where you switched hands.”

Thalia grinned. “It’s one of my favorites. I can show you now if you want?”

“I would, but I’d like to get the gear put away and grab a bath before it’s time to meet Jason.” She gathered a few stray weapons from the practice field and started walking towards the armory to put them away. 

For a moment, the expression on Thalia’s face resembled the scowls she’d worn earlier in the day. Shaking her head, she smiled ruefully and muttered “I hate it when he’s right.”

“Who, Jason? That hardly ever happens,” Reyna quipped.

Thalia laughed. “That’s why it sucks even more when he is.” She carefully placed the pieces armor she’d borrowed back in the cupboard as she spoke. “He told me that you and I would get along well. Kept saying how great you were. That you were strong and smart and wicked good with a sword. He wouldn’t shut up about it the whole trip. By the time we got here, I was determined to dislike you.”

“I can see why! I feel bad you had to put up with all of that.”

“Eh, it was fine. I think he wants us to be friends because it’s clear that you’re really important to him.”

The matter-of-fact way that Thalia said it made Reyna’s heart swell. She’d missed Jason since he moved to New York and she was touched to think that he might miss her too. “Well, I hope we can be. Friends, I mean.” 

“Me too.” Thalia agreed, closing the cupboard and turning to face her. “It’s a good thing he didn’t tell me you were hot, or I might have just refused to meet you on principle.”

Reyna dropped the shield she’d been putting away and it hit the pile with a loud clang. She felt her cheeks getting warm and appreciated the fact that her dark skin made it hard to tell she was blushing. “Well, he certainly didn’t mention how attractive you were either, but given how homely Jason is, I just assumed that you had to be the good-looking one in the family.”

“It's so sad for him that I used up all the good genes before he came along.” Thalia smirked.

They left the armory and headed back to the baths. On the way, they told each other funny Jason stories. Reyna didn’t know about the stapler and she nearly fell over laughing. She was just telling Thalia about the war game where Jason landed face first in a pile of elephant poo when they reached the women’s bathing area. 

It was still fairly early in the afternoon and the building was quiet. Reyna led the way into the building and paused before the door to the apodyterium. She turned to face Thalia and asked “You know how you mentioned earlier that a hunter’s vows keep her from being distracted?”

Thalia frowned. “I was such a little shit earlier. Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay, I forgive you. But I did have a question for you.” Reyna moved in just a bit, forcing the shorter girl to look up slightly. 

“Yeah?” Thalia asked warily.

“Is it just boys that are considered distracting or is it relationships in general?” 

Thalia’s fair skin did nothing to disguise the blush that crept across her freckled cheeks, but her voice remained steady as she met Reyna’s eyes. “Mostly just boys.”

“Oh good.” Reyna lifted her arms, clasping her hands together behind Thalia’s neck. She leaned in and kissed her gently. Thalia set her hands on Reyna’s waist as she returned the kiss.

Reyna kept her arms wrapped around Thalia, not in any way inclined to release her. “You know, I don’t think this is what Jason had in mind when he said he thought we’d get along well.”

“He’ll get over it.” Thalia replied as she pulled Reyna in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Come visit me on [tumblr](http://goodforharpies.tumblr.com)


End file.
